The purpose of this guide is to give you a basic overview of what we do at Pathfinders and help you know what to expect from our club. We have a great year of activities planned and look forward to getting to know you and your Pathfinder better!

If you don’t find the information you need here, our staff is ready to provide additional information.

Who we are

Pathfinders is a worldwide organization of young people sponsored by the Seventh-day Adventist Church; the Sojourners Pathfinder Club is sponsored by the Bellevue and Kirkland SDA Churches through the Washington Conference. Young people of any religious persuasion, or none at all, are welcome and encouraged to join the organization.

Our club’s mission

The mission of the Sojourners Pathfinder Club is to encourage each Pathfinder to

Develop a love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him,
Develop common sense and be responsible, and
Develop an attitude of service, unselfishness, and leadership.

We do this by providing a fun, safe environment with caring, patient staff, who will mentor each Pathfinder as they

Study scripture and worship,
Participate in physical activities and games outdoors,
Serve others during “share your faith” activities,
Experience nature during campouts and outings, and
Learn new skills and hobbies through honors.

Meetings and events: when and what?

Our regular club meetings are the first three Wednesdays of each month from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Bellevue Church Fellowship Hall. Field uniform (see uniform section below for details) should be worn the first two meetings each month, and Dress uniform the third meeting of each month. Please encourage your Pathfinder to take responsibility for being on time and in uniform at each meeting (Pathfinders earn merit points for doing both).

We have three to four weekend campouts each Pathfinder year. These include club campouts and area gatherings with other clubs (Seattle-area Jamboree, Pathfinder Fair, etc). Weekend campouts typically begin at the church around 3 pm on a Friday, and end mid-afternoon on Sunday.

Each year we have formal Induction and Investiture Ceremonies. Induction is at the beginning of the year to induct new Pathfinders and Investiture at the end of the year to distribute honors and awards earned. Other annual events include Pathfinder Sabbath (where we present the church service at one of our churches), high point outings (for Pathfinders who’ve earned 90% of the merit points possible), Bible Achievement, and fund-raisers.

The events dates we’ve set so far can be found on your Pathfinder Calendar; please keep it handy and let us know if you need another copy. We’ll update it with additional events as we add them. As events come closer, we’ll provide more complete details, so please be sure to check your email, especially early in the week, for updates (we also give out some of this material in handouts at Pathfinder meetings). Also check our club’s website for information at www.sojournersonline.org.

How are we organized?

Pathfinders are divided into groups of four to six Pathfinders, called units. Each unit has a staff counselor to guide and mentor them, and who is responsible for them whenever they are at a club function. Girls are led by women counselors, and boys are led by men. We will also have our TLT (Teen Leadership Training) program, in which more experienced Pathfinders are given the opportunity to further develop their leadership skills in our club (you’ll receive more information about this if your child becomes involved). Pathfinders are only in their units for a part of the time at each meeting/event, which leaves plenty of opportunity for them to make friends and visit with other Pathfinders outside their unit. Counselors may call their Pathfinders periodically at home with reminders, or just to say hello and find out any prayer requests.

Activities: What do we do?

Our typical schedule for Wednesday night meetings includes having group worship, doing some work toward earning an honor, drilling and marching, and playing active games (outside when possible). We also work on class work which is Bible study and activities to learn about God, nature, and community service, geared toward different age levels and led by counselors.

During campouts, we encourage the Pathfinders to lead out in vespers, Sabbath School, and church worship services. We also work on camping skills and outdoor honors and learn to appreciate the nature around us on hikes or explorations of our camp area. We also have a great game time on Saturday nights.

On some of our Pathfinder meeting nights, we’ll have handouts containing announcements about upcoming activities. Again, please encourage your Pathfinder to give any handouts to you when you see your Pathfinder after the meeting. Sometimes there will be a permission slip that must be filled out for a future event.

The Merit System

The Sojourners use a merit system to encourage our Pathfinders to be responsible for their own behavior and actions. At each regular Pathfinder meeting or activity, Pathfinders have the opportunity to earn 10 merit points. Around January and May we have High Point Outings to reward Pathfinders who have at least 90% of the possible merit points. Please see the section on Merit for more details on our merit system.

Uniforms

We wear uniforms while at Pathfinder meetings to create a sense of unity and assure that no one feels excluded because of what they’re wearing. Pathfinders should wear their complete uniform (including appropriate shoes, etc.) to earn full uniform points at each meeting or event.

Jewelry: We request no jewelry be worn at Pathfinder meetings and events to go along with the uniform standards and safety concerns.

Field uniform is worn during the first two meetings of each month, on campouts, and any other informal club activities. Dress uniform is worn to the third meeting each month (unless otherwise noted), and to all formal club functions (Pathfinder Sabbaths, Induction, Investiture, and on Sabbath during conference campouts).

The club loans out the dress uniform shirt, scarf, slide, and field uniform polo shirt to each Pathfinder, and these items should be returned when the Pathfinder leaves the club (the honors sash is your Pathfinder’s to keep). A Sojourners hoodie can also be purchased for $25 (many Pathfinders have them to wear during cooler weather).

Field Uniform

Boys and Girls:

· Field shirt (teal Polo supplied by club)

· Jeans or dark pants

· Tennis shoes (or other sturdy shoes) suitable for outdoor activities

Full Dress Uniform

Girls:

· Khaki shirt (supplied by club)

· Sash (supplied by club)

· Scarf and slide (supplied by club)

· Black skirt (knee length or longer) for formal events (i.e. sanctuary services), or black dress pants for campouts

· Black nylons (or socks with pants)

· Black dress shoes

Boys:

· Khaki shirt (supplied by club)

· Sash (supplied by club)

· Scarf and slide (supplied by club)

· Black slacks and belt

· Black socks

· Black dress shoes

Uniform Diagrams

Dress code for non-uniform events

Because we are a Christian club, we seek to uphold the highest standards of modesty and dress. We
ask that you refrain from bringing two-piece bathing suits of any kind, short skirts or immodest shorts,
low cut tops, halter tops, or spaghetti straps, midriff-baring tops or T-shirts with crude language or
other inappropriate content. Pathfinders wearing such items will be asked to change.

Fees and dues

The annual registration fee is $30, part of which goes toward uniform costs and getting the club started for the year. Monthly dues are $8 (to help pay for honors, etc.), and may be paid in full at the start of the year, or parents can encourage their Pathfinder to be responsible for paying their dues each month. Campouts and other outings will have an additional charge (typically $25 per event). Our club also receives funding from the Bellevue and Kirkland churches which helps with club expenses. Please be sure to let a director know if expenses are prohibiting your involvement with Pathfinders. We are able to generate scholarships on a need basis, and don’t want anyone to be excluded because of financial reasons.

Our Staff

Our club staff is dedicated to serving the Lord through our Pathfinder club. We care about your children and want to help them have fun and grow in their relationship with the Lord. All of our staff have gone through requisite conference background checks. Staff who are 21 and older and are registered drivers with the Washington Conference will drive Pathfinders to events. We welcome comments, suggestions, and questions from you. Please feel free to contact one of the directors below or your child’s counselor.

Linden Goffar, Director,

Willman Rojas, Director

Email: Director@SojournersOnline.org

How you can help

Running a Pathfinder club takes a lot of time and dedication. You can help keep our staff motivated and energized by volunteering to help or agreeing to help when asked.

Parent volunteers are needed to help chaperone campouts, provide transportation for outings, prepare food for campouts, teach honors, and help with set-up and clean-up when we have social events. We want as many parents as possible to be involved with our club!

Please talk to any of the staff if you’d like more information about helping out.

Pathfinder Pledge and Law

Pathfinder Pledge

By the grace of God,

I will be pure, kind and true

I will keep the Pathfinder Law

I will be a servant of God

And a friend to man.

Pathfinder Law

Keep the Morning Watch

Do my honest part

Care for my body

Keep a level eye

Be courteous and obedient

Walk softly in the sanctuary

Keep a song in my heart

Go on God’s errands

Pathfinder Song

Oh, we are the Pathfinders strong,
The servants of God are we
Faithful as we march along,
In truth and purity
A message to tell to the world
A truth that will set us free!
King Jesus the Savior's coming back
For you, and me!

Merit System

The Sojourners Pathfinder Club uses a merit system. Each Pathfinder is responsible for his or her behavior and actions. Pathfinders have the opportunity to earn 10 merit points at each meeting and outing. Pathfinders are responsible for being aware of their standings and discussing any disagreements or discrepancies with their counselor. Pathfinders that have earned 90% of possible merit points will qualify to attend the mid-year and end-of-the-year high point outings.

Point system:

Ten points are available for every regular Pathfinder club meeting and outing. The points are broken down as follows:

One point for Attendance

One point for Arriving on time (at fall in)

Two points for Complete uniform, neatness of appearance

Three points for Obedience/orderly conduct (Silent at attention/at ease, not distracting others, etc.)

Three points for Spirit/participation

The points available each month will vary depending on the number of scheduled club activities.

High Point Outing:

The High Point Outings (HPOs) are designed to reward Pathfinders that show outstanding merit. To be eligible to attend a high point outing, Pathfinders must have a minimum of 90% of the possible merit points for the previous semester. The club has two outings each year, one around January and one around May or June. Point accumulation for the end-of-the-year outing starts fresh at mid-year.

Extra points:

Extra points may be earned by earning Christian outreach honors. A maximum of 8 points may be earned by completing an honor, and only one honor will count toward extra points per semester. A list of eligible honors will be distributed. Completed honor work should be turned into the Pathfinder’s counselor at least 2 weeks prior to the high point outing for consideration. Other extra points may be earned at the discretion of the Pathfinder directors.

Absences and Tardiness:

Illness, family emergency, travel, required school trips, or other staff approved absences are excused. Each Pathfinder may have one excused absence per semester in cases of large amounts homework given on Wednesday night. Parents need to provide written notification to the Pathfinder’s counselor for ALL excused absences.

End of Year Awards Requirements

Our club has some great awards for Pathfinders who show outstanding behavior during the year. Please see below for the requirements for earning these awards, which are given out at the Investiture Service at the end of the year. We want as many Pathfinders as possible to receive the Good Conduct Award! And we encourage all of our Pathfinders to strive for the Pathfinder of the Year Award.

Good Conduct Award Requirements

This is awarded to Pathfinders who:

· Are active members at least a year.

· Have a complete dress uniform.

· Have an excellent (90%) record of faithful attendance with 95% of points.

· Have a conduct record consistent with the Pathfinder pledge and law.

· Conduct at home, school, church, and in the club is courteous, kind, obedient, and an example to others.

· Have a record of progress in Pathfinder classwork and earn the classwork level you are studying for the year.

Pathfinder of the Year Award Requirements

· Be present and on time to 90% of club meetings and outings with 100% of the points available.

· Always wear a complete, clean, neat, uniform (field or dress as requested).

· Have a clean and neat personal appearance and clothing.

· Be courteous and kind, and have a positive attitude at Pathfinders, school, and church.

· Show spiritual growth through participation in church attendance (Bible study and worship service) and participate in our club’s Share Your Faith activities.

· Attend all conference Pathfinder functions (Camporee, Pathfinder Fair, etc.).

· Complete the regular AND advanced classwork during the year (Advanced classwork requires completion of all of the classwork sections for your level), and complete at least 4 new honors during the current Pathfinder year.

Bylaws

1. Members must be ages ten (by Jan 1) through fifteen or have prior approval of club leadership. Pathfinders remain in the club after age 15 by joining the TLT (Teen Leadership Training) program and help Pathfinders and staff with various responsibilities.

2. Members must be faithful in attendance. This is essential to get the most out of our program. Our club also has a merit system, and Pathfinders will not be able to attend special activities and outings if their attendance is down due to unexcused late arrivals and absences. The Pathfinder Staff Manual states that after three unexcused absensences on the scheduled Pathfinder calendar, the Pathfinder is dropped from club membership. An excused absence would be illness to the Pathfinder, a business trip, or a family vacation.

3. A registration fee of $30 is required to help with the cost of uniforms and club expenses.

a. Each Pathfinder will be provided with a dress and a field uniform. Pathfinders are expected to wear a uniform on all Pathfinder outings and activities.

b. Pathfinders are responsible for keeping their uniforms clean and in good repair. They will be required to replace any damaged or lost uniforms.

4. All members pay club dues of $8.00 per month. Most member pay at the beginning of the year for September through May ($72).

5. The Pathfinder’s parents must be willing to support club activities, club requirements, and the staff.

6. Pathfinders are expected to follow the direction of the staff and follow the merit system at all times.

7. Club activities include regular meetings, outings, fundraisers, drilling and marching, “share your faith” activities, Pathfinder Sabbaths, community service activities, etc. Members must be willing to attend and participate in all of these activities.

8. Members must be willing to learn and live according to the Pathfinder Pledge and Law.

9. Members are not to leave meetings early without being excused by their counselor.

10. Pathfinder outings are for Pathfinder club members only (though parents are often welcome to attend – please check with the club staff.)

11. To be able to attend club outings, Pathfinders must:

a. Be up to date on dues.

b. Attend or have excused absences for the two previous meetings.

12. The club director must be notified in advance of any guests that will be attending.

13. The following rules of modesty are to be followed at all Pathfinder functions:

a. No tight fitting or immodest clothing.

b. Only natural looking make-up or nail polish.

14. No gum or candy at meetings unless authorized by the staff.

15. No public displays of affection (PDA). Pathfinders encourages social interaction but strictly requires no PDA such as hand holding, hugging, etc.

16. No electronics or cell phones. This is very important for training and is a requirement for membership that any electronics, mp3 players, cell phones must be turned in to a counselor at any club activity.

Miscellaneous

Unit Captain and Scribe and Unit Name

At the beginning of the year, units elect their own captain and scribe, preferably by anonymous vote.

The captain provides leadership for the unit by

o setting an example of conduct during attention and other group activities

o reminding the unit to fall in quickly, be quiet, etc.

o carrying the guidon flag during full dress marching

The scribe helps the unit by

recording attendance, tardiness, and uniform points
providing assistance for the captain and counselor

At the beginning of the year, units will have opportunity to choose a guidon with unit name. Oldest units choose first. The unit may choose a new name if all members agree, and the new name is approved by a club director. Unit names need to reflect club goals with positive aspects of nature and the Bible.

Unit Nights

There will be one or two Unit Nights during the year. Unit Night is intended to develop unit bonding and increase the ability for the counselor to be a positive influence with the Pathfinders. As such the unit chooses an activity that is interactive, fun, and wholesome.

- Usually $10 per person will be available, and the unit may decide to use less or possibly more if each person chips in.

- Two adults accompany the unit, with one probably being a parent.

- Includes prayer (or a short worship if possible)

- No movies.

- Unit Night plans are provided to the directors for approval the week before at the latest.

Campouts

Sojourner campouts offer a fun combination of spiritual worships and activities with physical play in nature. On campouts we have a few special rules:

- Always have a buddy

- Always get permission from your counselor

- Follow instructions from staff

- Practice Pathfinder Law (pure language, kindness, honesty, helpfulness.)

- Tent rules:

o No food in tents (avoids ants, mice, and other critters. Always zip up the tent door to keep out bugs!)

o No shoes in tent

o No fires near tents or out of fire pit

- Pocket knives and sticks: Use appropriately (No reminders before being taken by any staff.)

o For example, no play fighting, no throwing at trees or ground, close knife when walking, etc. There are too many to list, so use common sense.

o Safety: Make sure every cut is away from you and others.

- Clean up after yourself. Throw away litter when you see it.

Families Attending Campouts:

- Families are welcome and invited to come help and join most of the activities.

- Please let a director know ahead of time if you plan to attend.

- The Pathfinders will be under the supervision and direction of the Pathfinder staff.

- Please inform the Pathfinder’s counselor before taking them away. (This is so we don’t need to organize a search party to look for missing Pathfinders.)

- No dogs or other pets.

- Families are welcome to eat with us. The charge is typically $25 per person for the weekend depending on the event.

Recommended gear for camping skills:

- Pocket knife. Any reasonable size model will work. It is better to go with a good quality tool because we see more safety problems with models that don’t lock properly, come apart, etc. We go over safety many times. Suggestions include: Swiss Army (the Tinker is a good low cost model), Spyderco Ladybug, and Leatherman multitools. $20-30 is about the right range to pay for a good model.

What not to bring:

- Due to safety and health concerns, we request that Pathfinders not bring walkmans, hand-held video
games, computers, DVD players, cell phones, skateboards, jewelry of any kind, pets, knives (other than those approved for camping skills), guns, ammunition, fireworks, tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, vehicles, or cultic items such as tarot cards or Ouija boards.

Marching

The Sojourners Pathfinder club uses drill and marching to encourage group cooperation and for fun. We have the opportunity to demonstrate marching at the Pathfinder Fair and sometimes at other events such as camp meeting. Marching practice is around 15-20 minutes at most club meetings to keep it interesting and not tiring.

We have two levels, basic and advanced. Pathfinders in the advanced level will have mastered left and right faces, about faces, and demonstrate proper discipline while marching. Anyone distracting others will be switched to the basic level to help there. Through the year, it is expected that all the Pathfinders in the club will move into the advanced level.

No Puh Duh!

Pathfinders is a Public Display of Affection (PDA) Free Zone. In other words, no puh duh! No hand holding, arms around each other, etc. Pathfinders is a place to have fun with, and develop friendships with, members of the opposite sex. PDA detracts from this goal, both for the involved parties and the other Pathfinders. PDA will result in loss of points and possible other disciplinary measures, such as being sent home from an activity or campout. Please remember, no puh duh!

No Electronics

No electronics at meetings, campouts, and activities is an important part of Pathfinders as we strive to focus 100% on spiritual, mental, and physical training. Electronics provide a diluting distraction. No cell phones, MP3 players, etc.

Cell phones: Pathfinders may carry their cell phone while traveling and will have an opportunity to contact parents on arrival. At all other times counselors or directors will hold cell phones. Units are under supervision of counselors at all times and will have access to contact parents in an emergency.

Cameras are encouraged and must be used respectfully and in a non-distracting way. Cameras on cell-phones may be used on request and must be returned to the counselor promptly.

Information for Counselors

If you are a counselor or junior staff counselor, this section provides a summary of the counselor description from the Pathfinder Staff Manual. Please refer to the manual for full details.

The most important thing for a counselor is to be there. Aim for 100% attendance. When kids in a unit see that their counselor is late or not there it sends a subtle message about how important they are related to your other responsibilities. It affects their behavior in meetings. If the counselor does not think it is important, why should they?

Sometimes it isn’t possible to achieve the goal for attendance. If you are late or can’t be at a meeting, please let the director or deputy director know so they can provide a substitute right from the start. Then when you arrive, explain to the kids why you were late or gone. They will appreciate that you are concerned about missing them.
Greet each Pathfinder in your unit individually and smile at them. Arrive a few minutes early to do this. Get to know a few details about each person so you can ask about it. Things like challenging tests, hobbies, and upcoming events like plays and school projects are good to find out about.
At Unit Time plan to have prayer requests and prayer every time. Remember the requests so you can follow up on how it turns out and remember to pray for it at the next meeting. Discuss points and what your unit needs to work on. Give your unit challenges like being the first to fall in at attention.
Counselors wear proper uniform. Once again if you don’t think it is important neither will the Pathfinders.
Help Pathfinders behave. Remind them to put hands behind back while at ease, stand in a straight line, don’t talk etc. If other units have problems and their counselor does not notice, it is ok to gently help that unit also. We all help each other. However, if the whole club is noisy or distracted, don’t be too hard on your own unit. It is the responsibility of the director to address whole-club discipline in those situations.
Never scold. Use the following steps to address discipline. A. If a Pathfinder does not respond to a gentle reminder, send the person to the director, deputy director, TLT leader, or other counselor in that order. He/she will be prepared to ask a simple question. “What did you do wrong?” If the Pathfinder does not know, the staff will say something like, “You probably were not listening when you needed to be quiet. Go quickly back to your unit and listen to your counselor.”

B. If a Pathfinder in your unit repeatedly does something wrong or does not respond to reminders, take a moment to explain it more carefully and say a short prayer with the Pathfinder. Mention the thing they did wrong and also ask the Lord to bless the Pathfinder and as many good things as possible. This is very powerful. It shows caring for the Pathfinder that really helps their behavior.

C. If a Pathfinder still has problems. Bring them to the director or deputy director who will also have prayer with them. If serious problems still persist, the director will need to address it. But, the procedure described above is the only way to properly handle discipline problems. Remember, never scold or use other forms of discipline without consulting the director first.
Plan activities, worships, and have stories ready for your unit so that when there is a down time, you have something for them to do. Especially at campouts. Plan to have the unit do their own worship. Take them for a walk or play a game. There will usually be a skit to plan for as well. Have prayer with your unit before they go to bed.

Counselors, thank you for your service! Let’s all pray for our counselors as theirs is truly the most important role in the club!

Resources

Our club’s website:

www.sojournersonline.org

Current club information, photos, forms, and lots more

NAD Pathfinder website:

www.pathfindersonline.org

Honor requirements, Pathfinder basics, classwork info, and a lot more helpful info

Center for Youth Evangelism website:

www.adventistyouth.org

The home for information on the Pathfinder International Camporee at Oshkosh.